Moth-cake containers



April 30, 1963 N. E. WILSON MOTH-CAKE CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 5, 1961 INVENTOR.

NORMAN E. WILSQN ATTORNEY FIG. 5

United States Patent 3,087,679 MOTH-CAKE CONTAINERS Norman E. Wilson, University City, Mo., assignor to Clean Home Products, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., :1 corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 86,922 3 Claims. (Cl. 239-57) This invention relates in general to mot-h repellants and deodorants and, more particularly, to a self-contained display and dispensing package for moth-cakes and deodorant-cakes.

Moth repellants and deodorants are quite commonly constructed by compressing paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene into a circular cake. Since such materials sublime very readily, the cake is usually wrapped with a sheet of cellophane or similar light plastic material for storage.

When used, the wrapper is stripped from the cake or at least perforated sufficiently to permit the vapors to permeate the atmosphere of the room. or closet in which the cake is placed. Obviously such cakes function more quickly and effectively if suspended and many types of hanging containers have been devised. However, containers made of cardboard are not particularly durable or attractive in appearance. Metal containers are similarly cheap-looking while actually being comparatively expensive. Moreover, the existing types of containers present many rather difficult assembly, labeling, and display problems which have contributed undesirable increments of cost and which have detracted from the promotional appeal of the product.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a package for moth-repellant and deodorant cakes with novel suspension means by which the package can be supported from some type of fixture within a room, closet, or enclosure.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a package of the type stated that can be made of a synthetic resin capable of withstanding the fumes or vapors of paradichlorobenzene.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a package of the type stated which can be easily and readily displayed upon a store-shelf or counter.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a moth package of the type described that can be made in a variety of colors and capable of conforming to the decorative scheme of a household closet.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a package of the type stated which is rugged in construction, and will form a secure merchantable package during shipment, storage, and sale, and which is relatively economical in manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing (one sheet) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the moth-cake container constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the package constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred em- "ice bodiment of the present invention, A designates a combined shipping, display, and dispensing package comprising an annular shell 1 formed of linear polyethylene. Molded integrally upon the outer circumferential face of the body portion 1 are two radially projecting axial beads 2, 3, which are parallel to each other and extend the axial length of the shell 1. The shell 1 is provided at its forward rim with an obliquely inturned annular flange 5. Molded into the inner surface 6 of the shell 1 adjacent to the rear rim 7 is a shallow annular groove 8.

Sized for disposition within the shell 1 is a cylindrical cake of compressed paradiohlorobenzene 9 provided with a front paper covering disk 10 that contains some imprinted design, trademark, or name, and has a series of apertures 11. The moth-cake 9 and disk 10 are then hermetically enclosed or wrapped in a light transparent cellophane wrapping 12. On its rearward face 13, the cake 9 is provided with two large convexly-shaped recesses 14, 15, which are, in effect, bridged over by the wrapping 12, as seen in FIG. 2.

Also provided for disposition within the shell 1 is a heavy-gauge cardboard disk 16 which is provided with two circular apertures 17, 18, that are of such size and dimension to overlie the recesses 14, 15, of the cake 9, and are in alignment therewith.

Sized for snug-fitting disposition within the rear rim 7 and groove 8 of the shell is a retainer-ring 19 formed also of slightly resilient linear polyethylene and provided with an annular flange 20 sized for snug-fitting engagement within the groove 8 of the shell 1. The retainerring 19 also integrally includes an inturned annular flange 21 which matches the flange 5 in size and shape, but is reinforced against the retainer-ring by a plurality of integral radial spokes 22, one of which merges into a relatively thin flat strip 23 having a circular eye 24. As seen in FIG. 4, the strip 23 and eye 24 normally extend radially inwardly and lie flat along the outer face of the disk 16, but the strip is thin and flexible so as to be bendable into the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, thereby forming a hanger.

The cylindrical cake 9 and disk 10, sealed with a cellophane wrapping 12, are inserted into the shell 1 and are held adjacent the flange 5 with the printing in an upright position so that such printing is upright when the heads 2, 3, are downward, as shown in FIG. 4. The disk 16 is then inserted against the rearward face of the cake 9 so that the apertures 17, 18, are in alignment with the recesses 14, 15. The retainer-ring 19 is then snapped into engagement within the rear rim 7 of the shell 1 so that the flange 20 fits within the groove 8. The fit is such that the retainer-ring 19 can be slipped around, or bodily within, the shell 1 so as to bring the strip 23 and eye 24 into position directly above and midway between the beads 2, 3, as shown, for instance, in FIG. 3. Whenever it is desired to display the package A, it can be set up in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, with the heads 2, 3, serving as legs.

When the purchaser desires to use the package A, the thumb, finger, or a sharp instrument is inserted through the apertures 17, 18, in the disk 16 in order to break the cellophane wrapping 12 covering the recessed portions 14, 15, of the cake. The strip 23 is then bent up into hanger-forming position and attached to some suitable fixture, such as a wall-hook, nail, wire coat hanger or similar device.

The material used in molding the shell 1 and retainerring 19 have several unique and unexpected properties which contribute to the utility of the present invention. For one thing, linear polyethylene has been found to be impervious to paradichlorobenzene vapors and hence is not chemically attacked or deteriorated thereby. In addition, linear polyethylene may be said to have a memory in the sense that, when deformed and released, will slowly but precisely return to original shape. This latter property makes it possible to snap the retainer-ring 19 in place and turn it into upright position, as well as accounting for the operability and functions of the strip 23 in acting as a hanger.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the moth-cake containers may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A display and dispensing container formed of linear polyethylene for compressed blocks of paradichlorobenzene, naphthalene, and similar sublimifying agents, said container comprising an annulus having oppositely presented open ends, said annulus being provided on its external face with a pair of circumferentially spaced radially projecting legs, abutment means formed integrally around one of said open ends, an annular indented groove formed in and extending around the inner face of the annulus adjacent the other end thereof, and a secondary ring sized to fit snugly within the annulus and having an outwardly projecting annular head for snap-fitting retentive engagement with the indented groove whereby to hold a compressed block in the annulus.

2. A display and dispensing container formed of linear polyethylene for compressed blocks of paradichlorobenzene, naphthalene, and similar sublimifying agents, said container comprising an annulus having oppositely presented open ends, said annulus being provided on its external face with a .pair of circumferentially spaced radially projecting legs, abutment means formed integrally around one of said open ends, an annular indented groove formed in and extending around the inner face of the annulus adjacent the other end thereof, and a secondary ring sized to fit snugly within the annulus and having an outwardly projecting annular bead for snap-fitting retentive engagement with the indented groove whereby to hold a compressed block in the annulus, said secondary ring also being integrally provided with radially extending flexible hanger means, said hanger means being adapted normally to lie flat along the secondary ring and adapted to be flexed up to a radially outwardly projecting position.

3. A display and dispensing container formed of linear polyethylene for compressed blocks of paradichlorobenzene, naphthalene, and similar sublimifying agents, said compressed block being enclosed within a rupturable outer wrapping, said block being provided on its rearward face with punch-out depressions, said container comprising an annulus having oppositely presented open ends, said annulus being provided on its external face with a pair of circumferentially spaced radially projecting legs, abutment means formed integrally around one of said open ends, an annular indented groove formed in and extending around the inner face of the annulus adjacent the other end thereof, a secondary ring sized to fit snugly Within the annulus and having an outwardly projecting annular bead for snap-fitting retentive engagement with the indented groove whereby to hold a compressed block in the annulus, and a cover disk interposed between the rearward face of said block and said secondary ring, said cover disk having a plurality of apertures which are coincident with the punch-out depressions in said block, said secondary ring also being integrally provided with radially extending flexible hanger means, said hanger means being adapted normally to lie flat along the secondary ring and adapted to be flexed up to a radially outwardly projecting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,757,530 Keim May 6, 1930 2,547,687 Brody Apr. 3, 1951 2,555,047 Logue May 29, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 524,042 Great Britain July 29, 1940 

3. A DISPLAY AND DISPENSING CONTAINER FORMED OF LINEAR POLYETHYLENE FOR COMPRESSED BLOCKS OF PARADICHLOROBENZENE, NAPHTHALENE, AND SIMILAR SUBLIMIFYING AGENTS, SAID COMPRESSED BLOCK BEING PROVIDED ON ITS REAWARD FACE WRAPING, SAID BLOCK BEING PROVIDED ON ITS REARWARD FACE WITH PUNCH-OUT DEPRESSIONS, SAID CONTAINER COMPRISING AN ANNULUS HAVING OPPOSITELY PRESENTED OPEN ENDS, SAID ANNULUS BEING PROVIDED ON ITS EXTERNAL FACE WITH A PAIR OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED RADIALLY PROJECTING LEGS, ABUTMENT MEANS FORMED INTEGRALLY AROUND ONE OF SAID OPEN ENDS, AN ANNULAR INDENTED GROOVE FORMED IN AND EXTENDING AROUND 